Duke divers and 2012 Olympians Abby Johnston and Nick McCrory will blog throughout their experiences at the Olympic Games in London. Look for updates from Johnston and McCrory over the next couple of weeks as they prepare to represent the United States in individual and synchronized diving.

Johnston Blog #2: The Olympic Village (July 20, 2012)

As I sit down to write this blog, I feel like it's the first moment I've had in the past week to recap all that I've done since leaving Durham. The journey began when Team USA travelled to Maryland for our Olympic training camp. We spent our time in meetings, participated in events with local supporters and media, and visited the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. My favorite activity was spending time with the wounded soldiers at the hospital, which made me fully appreciate the significant sacrifices they had made for our country. To say the least, the visit was a humbling experience that helped put things into perspective and made me even more appreciative of all the opportunities I have ahead of me at the Olympics. Although the days were long and jam-packed with activities, it was an inspirational experience and really brought the team together as a unit.

Finally, we landed in London on Monday morning and after taking an extra-long and scenic bus ride through the city, we arrived at the Village only to be quickly shuttled off to Team USA processing. Designers and volunteers waited on us hand and foot to outfit us in suitcases full of Ralph Lauren and Nike apparel. With the amount of clothing I received, I could wear a different outfit every day for the rest of the Games and never have to do laundry!

I'm currently settled into my apartment in the Olympic Village and am adjusting to a daily schedule of practice, team meetings, and meals. While many teams have not yet arrived, I have used the time to get an understanding of the Village and venues without the crowds of people around. I even had the chance to see a friend, Duke soccer player Avery Rape, and show her around the Olympic Village. It's amazing how far the Duke family extends!